Kelsey Kennemer leads EMCC women to team rodeo title at UA Cossatot-hosted event in Arkansas

TEXARKANA, Ark. – The East Mississippi Community College women's rodeo team claimed its second title of the season by earning top team honors at this past weekend's UA Cossatot 5^th Annual College Rodeo.  Hosted by Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas, the three-day event concluded Saturday evening at the Four States Fairgrounds.

Having previously opened the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association's Ozark Region fall slate last September by winning the women's title at the Missouri Valley College-hosted event, the Lady Lions' team victory this past weekend marked EMCC's fifth overall team title under fifth-year head rodeo coach Morgan Goodrich.  Prior to this season, the East Mississippi men's rodeo squad had won three previous team crowns since the program's inception in 2010.

With sophomore Kelsey Kennemer earning women's all-around individual honors by accounting for 240 of EMCC's 385 total team points, the Lady Lions were followed closely in the team standings by West Alabama and Southern Arkansas with 265 and 260 points, respectively.

The East Mississippi men's team placed fifth with 175 points this past weekend to open spring rodeo competition.  Reigning national champion Tennessee-Martin easily out-distanced the men's field by totaling 995 team points.  Missouri Valley and West Alabama followed with 585 and 320 points, respectively.

Along with claiming 150 points by winning the barrel racing competition with nearly identical clockings of 15.89 and 15.88, Kennemer also earned 70 points pairing with former EMCC cowboy and current Arkansas-Monticello performer Martin Walker in the team roping event.  Having previously collected women's all-around honors last October at the Murray State University-hosted rodeo, Kennemer also secured 20 additional points in goat tying this past weekend. 

Sophomore Shay Atkins, from West Point's Oak Hill Academy, secured 100 points for her third-place finish and 32.32 combined time in barrel racing, while Poplarville's Destyn Ladner contributed 45 points in breakaway roping.  EMCC sophomore Hayley Joh Knox also placed in the breakaway roping event.

For the EMCC men, freshman bull rider Blake Bell, of Kosciusko High School, earned 120 points in his specialty event.  Poplarville's Weston Pender tallied 45 points in the calf roping competition, while sophomore Justin Reeves, from Newton Academy, partnered with Arkansas-Monticello's Dustin Jacobson in team roping to secure the Lions' other 10 points. 

East Mississippi will return to rodeo action, March 26-28, as the school host of the spring's second NIRA Ozark Region event to be held at West Point's Eagle Ranch.